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MN Court of Appeals affirms transgender powerlifting case
JayCee Cooper, who is transgender was denied entry into women’s competitions hosted by USAPL, according to a news release on Monday.
ST PAUL, Minn — The Minnesota Court of Appeals has found that discrimination against athletes based on gender identity violates the Minnesota Human Rights Act.
In a ruling released Monday, the court announced it is sending the case of a transgender woman who was denied entry into USA Powerlifting (USAPL) competitions back to a district court to determine whether she was rejected because she is transgender. However, the Appeals Court justices ruled the lower court erred when granting judgement in favor of JayCee Cooper, a powerlifter who was banned from competing in women’s competitions.
A bit of history: In 2019 Cooper, through Gender Justice, filed a discrimination claim with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights against USA Powerlifting for banning her and all other trans women athletes from competing in women’s competitions.
Then in 2021, Cooper’s legal team filed a lawsuit against the organization in Ramsey County, seeking protection from discrimination and allowing all transgender athletes to compete in the category of their gender identity.
In their ruling, the Appeals Court ruled that USAPL indeed violated Minnesota’s Human Rights Act in not allowing Cooper to compete but sent the matter back to the district court, saying “there are genuine issues of material fact as to whether defendant excluded plaintiff from the women’s division of its weightlifting competitions because of her transgender status.”
Gender Justice is touting Monday’s ruling as a second chance for the lower court to get it right.
“The Court of Appeals affirmed that it is illegal to discriminate against transgender people in sports, but sent the case back down for trial to determine whether that is what happened here,” said Jess Braverman, legal director for Gender Justice, in a news release. “We believe that it is crystal clear that JayCee Cooper experienced exactly this kind of discrimination, and we are confident that the courts will ultimately agree.”
KARE 11 has reached out to USA Powerlifting for a response to the Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmation.
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Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
